1. Institut d’Electronique Fondamentale, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS UMR 8622, Bat. 220, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France;2. L-NESS, Dipartimento di Fisica del Politecnico di Milano, Polo di Como, Via Anzani 42, I-22100 Como, Italy
Abstract:
Electro-absorption from GeSi heterostructures is receiving growing attention as a high performance optical modulator for short distance optical interconnects. Ge incorporation with Si allows strong modulation mechanism using the Franz–Keldysh effect and the quantum-confined Stark effect from bulk and quantum well structures at telecommunication wavelengths. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge and the on-going challenges concerning the development of high performance GeSi electro-absorption modulators. We also provide feasible future prospects concerning this research topic.